kingston



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. KINGSTON. MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND TYING WOOD. No. 332,155.

Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

N. PETERS. PhawLimugvniher, Washmglon. n. c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. KINGSTON.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND TYING WOOD. No. 332,155. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

N, PETERS. Phmmimn hnn Wnshinginn, D. c.

Nd Model.) I 5 SheetsSl1eet 3. P. KINGSTON.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND TYING WOOD. No. 332,155. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

127 297071 mail" 6%,

N. PETERS, Phoiolilhognpher. Walhinglnn. D. C.

(No Model.) Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

P. KINGSTON.

MAGHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND TYING WOOD. No. 332,155.

Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

N FUSES. PholbLithairaphlr. Wahinglon. D. C,

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. F. KINGSTON.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND TYING WOOD.

fur/620102 Patented N. PETERS. Pncla-Lnhu n hur, Waihinghm. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK KINGSTON, OF ST. JOHNS, COUNTY OF KENT, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, BUNDLING, AND TYING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,155, dated December 8,1885.

Application filed August 4, 1885. Serial No. 173,547. (No model.) Patented in England November 7, 1884, No. 14,716.

To all whom it 11mg concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK KINGSTON, a citizen of England, residing at St. Johns, in the county of Kent, England, have invented a new and useful Machine for Cutting, Bundling, and Tying Fire-food, (for which I have made application for a patent in Great Britain, dated November 7, 1884., No. 14,716,) of which the following is a specification.

For preparing firewood-that is to say, wood used for kindling fires-rectangular blocks, which may be about nine inches wide, three inches thick, and six inches long, are cut by hand or by machinery into sticks about half an inch square in section and six inches long, and numbers of these sticks are gathered together into bundles of approximately cylindrical shape, which are tied by strings and sold for use. The blocks of wood thus cut up are comparatively cheap, as they are mostly waste pieces cut from the ends of planks; but the labor of cutting them into sticks, bundling the sticks, and tying up the bundles is considerable.

The object of my invention is to abridge this labor by the use of a machine which cuts, bundles, and ties the fire-wood without requiring any manipulation from the supply of the blocks to the removal of the tied bundles.

I will first describe generally the nature of the successive operations that are performed by the machine, and then describe the construction and arrangement of the machine itself with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The rectangular blocks, which are more easily worked if they are softened by preliminary steaming, are fed onto an intermittently-traveling chain and between two intermittentlytraveling chains that grip them endwise, and are by the movement of these chains advanced step by step, about half an inch at each step, through a mouth-piece, where each block is gripped, and then a knife moving diagonally across the projecting part of the block cuts off a slab about half an inch thick. Each slab thus cut off is, by means of a spring-guide that moves with the knife, turned over so as to lie on its face on another chain traveling at such a speed that as slab after slab is severed from the block and laid over on the chain there is a continuous train of these slabs advancing toward a second rapidly-reciprocating knife, which, by making about six cuts during the passage of each slab under it, divides the slab into sticks each about half an inch square in section. The sticks as they are thus separated are carried on side by side by a traveling chain to a chute, by which they are led into a cylinder through a slot in its side. In this cylinder there is a support receiving the sticks as they drop onto it, and dcscending as more and more sticks accumulate over ituntil the cylinder is filled. There are also on the lower side of the cylinder shakers which maintain a certain agitation of the sticks, to make them lie all approximately parallel to the axis of the cylinder, which at this time is closed at one end by a sluice-diaphragm and at the other end by a plunger, which is then stationary. When the cylinder is filled with sticks, a slide advances, closing the lateral slot, the sluice-diaphragm is withdrawn, leaving one end of the cylinder open, and then the plunger advances beyond the sluice-diaphragm, pushing the mass of sticks in the cylinder forward, so that they project rather more than half their length beyond the mouth of the cylinder. When they are thus protruded, the plunger retreats and the sluicediaphragm closes behind the sticks and the slide covering the lateral slot retreats, so that the cylinder is again ready to re-, ceive a fresh charge of sticks, many of which have accumulated above the opening while it was closed. In order to insure their dropping into the cylinder, a vertical, slide descends, breaking through them. While the cylinder is receiving this fresh charge the bundle that had been protruded is clamped tightly by a contracting action of the mouth of the cylinder, and is tied in the following manner: an arm holding between jaws the end of a string which passes through a vessel containing melted pitchy cement, moves around the protruded bundle, thus winding on it a convolution of the adhesive string, which is then released from the jaws. The arm now remaining stationary, the bundle itself is carried round by revolution of the mouth of the cylinder, winding on additional convolutions of string, and then, at a certain point of the revolution, the string is again gripped by the jaws, that which had been wound on the bundle being cut from that which is held by the arm. The

bundle being thus tightly bound, the grip of the cylinder mouth is released, the sluicediaphragm is withdrawn, and the plunger advances, thrusting forward a succeeding bundle, by which the tied bundle is pushed entirely out, the succeeding bundle taking its place to be clamped, tied, and thrust out in its turn.

As above stated, the string for tying the bundle is cemented prior to its application, and consequently it will adhere to the outer pieces of wood comprising the bundle, and likewise the coils of string will adhere to each other, thereby firmly holding the bundle and rendering it unnecessary to tie the ends of the string together or use other fastening devices. The various movements mentioned above are imparted from one rotating main shaft working by suitable gearing other shafts with the necessary cranks, cams, levers, and other moving parts, as will be understood on reference to the drawings. v

Figure 1 is an elevation of the front side of the machine at which the wood blocks are fed. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the hinder side at which the tied bundles are discharged, with the bundling-cylinder shown in longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing the course of the wood through the machine. Fig. 4 is an end view of the machine. Fig. 5 is a plan of the machine.

Referring first to Fig. 3, in which is shown the progress of the wood through the machine, W are the wood blocks fed onto a sloping board, down which they slide until they are successively engaged on the lowerchain, b,

and between the side chains, 72, which press against the ends of the blocks. By the simultaneous intermittent motion of these chains the blocks W are advanced step by step through a mouth, where a retractile serrated cheek, at one side advances while the chains are stationary, and holds firmly in the mouth the foremost block, which had by the movement of the chains been made to protrude about half an inch beyond the mouth. While the foremost block is thus held, the first knife,

K, SllCLS off from it a slab, w, which is shown in the act of falling over. To insureits falling flat, like those to beyond, a spring-guide, 7c,

descends upon it and presses it down while the.

knife K ascends. When the knife K has ascended, the cheek 7c" is retracted, releasing the block, which is again advanced a step by the movement of the chains 1) b. The check 76 again grips the block, and K cuts off another slice. Thus slice after slice is cut off, and the successive slices to are advanced by the movement of two chains, b below them, and 19*, above them, toward the rapidly-reciprocating knife K, which cuts each slab into a number of separate sticks, 10, each about half an inch square in section. These sticks w are advanced along a slope between two chainsb below and b above themto a hopper-space, where they are accumulated at 10, immediately above the bundling-cylinder O, which in the figure is shown filled with sticks 10 separated from those w 'above by a slide, 0. WVhen the cylinder is emptied of the sticks te as will hereinafter be described, the slide a is retracted, leaving the upper side of the cylinder 0 open under 10 The sticks to thereupon fall into the cylinder, but as they sometimes form themselves into an arch,which might prevent them from falling, a knife, 0, descending, breaks up the arch and insures that the sticks w drop into the cylinder to take the place formerly occupied by On referring now to Fig. 2, which is an elevation of the back of the machine, showing the cylinder 0 in longitudinal section, the parts belonging to this cylinder are shown in the position occupied by them just before the cylinder is about to receive a fresh charge of sticks 10 Within the cylinder is a plunger, G, having a chisel-edge at 0 When this plunger has completely retreated to the left just beyond the opening under w the slide 0 is retracted, leaving that opening free, and a sluicediaphragm, 0 descends across the cylinder, closing it. The sticks then descend into the space in the cylinder between 0 in front and the plunger behind but in order to insure that the sticks shall descend in attitudes approximately parallel to the axis of the cylinder two blades, 0, in the first place ascend through slotsin the lower side of the cylinder, and receiving the sticks on their. upper edges they gradually descend, the sticks following them; also, two other blades, c having a rapid reciprocation vertically, act as shakers, causing the sticks to arrange themselves parallel, or nearly so, to the axis of the cylinder. When the space in the cylinder is filled with sticks, the slide 0 advances, separating those in in the cylinder from those to accumulating above, the sluice-diaphragm c ascends, leaving the cylinder open in front, and thereupon the plunger O advances to the right (its chisel-edge a clearing away in front of it any fragments of wood) and pushes the mass of sticks as a cylindrical bundle to the position 10', protruded a little more than half its length beyond the mouth of the cylinder. Leaving the bundle in in that position to be clamped and ti ed, as will presently be described, the plunger 0 retreats, 0 descends, c is withdrawn, and the cylinder 0 receives a fresh charge of sticks. The protruded bundle w is in the first place clamped. For this purpose the mouth of the cylinder, which consists of a number of segmental pieces, c, each sloped outside and fixed to the end ofa blade-spring, is contracted by causing these segments to be pressed inward by means of a hollow cone, 0 which is pushed back by a ring, 0 While the bundle a is thus clamped the tyingoperation is effected.

A tubular arm, T, standing forward like a crank-pin from a counterbalanced arm,T, has at its end a boss, t, sloped offin front, and on a spindle which is fitted to revolve and slide lon; gitudinally within T there is fixed another boss, 25, sloped off in rear. On t and t are fixed cut ting-chisels, and on t is also fixed a bent wire,

it Thcend ofa string whichpasses through a heated pot, I, of pitchy cement being held clamped between t and t, the arm T makes nearly a revolution round the bundle w, thus laying round it nearly one complete convolution of the adhesive string, and then, if separating a little from t and so leaving the spring free, the wire i makes a revolution, wiping the'string out from between tand t and pressing it onto the bundle. The arm T now rests, while the front part of the cylinder 0, which is fitted in a bearing, and has on itatoothed 'ring, g, is caused to make several revolutions,

the bundle revolving with it and winding onto itself the free string in several convolutions, and the arm T again moves a little 011- ward until it again engages the string between t and i, whereupon t is retracted, so as to clamp the string, and the cutters out and t sever the string which is onthe bundle from that which is held between tand t. The bundle being thus tied in its clamped condition, the ring a is retracted and the segments a spring a little backward, releasing the bundle. The plunger G now comes forward, pressing before it a fresh bundle, which extrudes the tied bundle w from the cylindermouth and takes its place to be clamped and tied in its turn.

Such being the successive operations performed on the wood by the parts described, the mechanism by which these parts are caused to make their respective movements may be varied. As these movements are all of a reciprocating or intermittent character, they may generally be effected by cranks, eccentrics, cams, wipers, or their equivalents, worked by rotating shafts. I have shown in the drawings one form of such mechanism, to which, however, I make no claim. "he prime moving shaft A, driven from anysuitable motor, drives by gearing, as seen best in Fig. 5, at a slower speed the second sha ft, A, and this again by reducing gear drives A and A by reducing gear drives A. A crank, a, on A is linked by a connecting-rod, a, to a slide, a moving in inclined guides a and carrying the knife K, which is thus made in each revolution of A by an obliquelyslicing action to cut off a slab, w, from the block \V. Just before this cut begins a protuberance, a, on the slide a acting on a roller, a depresses a lever, a, which is connected to the clamping-cheek k thus causing it to clamp the block until in the backstroke of a the protuberance of a again passes a and the cheek 7: moves backward. \Vhile the crank a is passing through that part of its course which retains the knife K for a time nearly stationary in its raised position, the pulleys which carry the lower feedchains, b, and which carry the side chains, 1), and which are driven from the spindles of the former by mitergcaring b are caused to make part ofa revolution, advancing the wood blocks the required distance for a succeeding cut. This is effected by a cam, F, on the back of the gear-wheel on A acting on a crank, f, so

as to turn it partly round, while the edge of the cam F, acting on a spring, f, presses toward the left the spindle f, in opposition to a spring, thus by a friction -clutch action giving a partial revolution to a ratchet-wheel, f fixed on the spindle of the pulleys which work the chains 1). Should the feed of the blocks WV be obstructed, the friction clutch yields.

The chains b 1), b, and b all receive their movements from a spindle, Z, which is driven by bevel-gear Z from a pulley driven by a pitch-chain, Z from a chain-wheel on the shaft A. The knife K is suspended by two radii, m m, and is caused to sweep to and fro in a circular path determined by those radii, being linked by a connecting-rod, m, to a crank, m onthe shaft A. The piston G and the slide 0 of the bundling-cylinder O are both worked by racks d d, the one, d, geared with a segment, (1", the other, (1, geared with a partlytoothed pinion, d, on the spindle of which is a similarpi nion gearing with a segment, d". Both these segments are worked by cam-wipers on the shaft A so that the to-and-fro movements of O and c are effected once in each revolution of the shaft A A longitudinal shaft, A driven by n1iter-gear from A, and therefore revolving at the same speed as A, gives the movements for the knife c,sluice-diaphragm 0 the guideblades 0', and the shakers c and for the clamping and tying mechanism. On A there are cams and wipers at A and Aflwhich work 0, 0 c, and 0 At A a cam works a bellcrank lever, E, by which the ring that clamps the segments 0 is moved to and fro. At G there is on A a toothed wheel,which, through intermediate wheels, G and G", works a large toothed wheel, G that is geared with the toothed ring 9 on the mouth of the cylinder 0, causing the mouth to revolve while the bundle w is held clamped within it, so as to wind on several convolutions of string on the bundle. On the end of the shaft A there is a mutilated wheel or wheel only partly toothed, H, with suitable wiper to bring into gear and drive the pinion H, which carries round the binding-arm T. On a disk, T behind T, are cam projections, which give the required movements to t and t Having thus described the nature vention and the best means I know ing it out in practice, I claim 1. The combination, in a machine for cutting, bundling, and tying firewood, of intermittently'traveling chains for receiving and carrying a block of Wood, a gripper receiving and holding the block as advanced by the chains, a slicing-knife for slicing the gripped block into slices, a knife for subdividing the sliced blocks, a carrier interposed between said knives for carrying the sliced blocks to the subdividing-knife, a bundle-forming cylinder receiving the severed slices from the subdividing-knife, a plunger acting in the cylinder for partially ejecting the bundle,and

of my inof carrymechanism for winding a cord orstring around the bundle while held in the cylinder, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a machine for outting, bundling, and tying fire-wood, of intermittently-traveling chains for advancing a block of wood, a gripper for holding the block in advance of the chains, a slicin'g'knife for severing the gripped block into slices, a knife for subdividing the sliced block, a carrier between the said knives for carrying the sliced blocks to the subdividing-knife,a bundle-forming cylinder having an opening for receiving the subdivided blocks, a slide for covering chains, b, for moving the wood step by step. 1

the clamping-cheek k receiving the wood from the chains, the knife K, for slicing the wood while held by the cheek, the traveling chain 12 receiving the sliced blocks, a reciprocating knife, K, at the end of the latter chain for severing the sliced blocks into separate parts, a bundle forming cylinder, 0, having an opening for receiving the severed pieces from the reciprocating knife, a plunger, 0, acting in the cylinder to partially eject the formed bundle, a slide, 0, for covering and uncovering the opening in the cylinder, means for contracting the cylinder on the bundle and revolving said cylinder, and a, tying-arm, T, arranged at one end of the'cylinder and having clamps t It provided with cutters, sub- V stantially as described.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification,in the presence of two sub- 45 scribing witnesses, this 23d day of J uly,A. D. 1885.

FRANK KINGSTON.

Witnesses:

M10. P. M. MILLARD, ARTHUR R. SKERTEN. 

